Firefly/Bandibuli Floating Wind Farm

Wind Project Site

Title: Firefly/Bandibuli Floating Wind Farm

Status:

Planned

Project Manager:

Equinor

Foundation Manufacturer:

Technip Energies

Website:

External Link

Info Last Updated:

May 9, 2025

Contact:

Info
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Details

Technology:

Floating Offshore Wind

Project Scale:

Commercial Farm

Turbine Model:

Wind Semi

Hub Height:

139 m

Rotor Diameter:

236 m

Number of Turbines:

Capacity per Turbine:

15 MW

Installed Capacity:

750 MW

Support Structure:

Semi-Taut Mooring, Semi-Submersible, Suction Anchor

Export Cables:

Export Cable Voltage:

230 kV

Number of Export Cables:

Cable Landfall:

Other

Physical Site:

Deep Water (>60m), Lake, Hard-Bottom Habitat

Water Depth:

150-300 m

Distance from Shore:

70 km

Country:

Korea South

Description

The Firefly (Bandibuli) Floating Offshore Wind Farm project is being developed by Equinor as part of the Ulsan floating offshore wind farm and is on track to become one of the first floating offshore wind farms in Korea. The Firefly Offshore Wind Farm will cover approximately 160 km² and will have a total installed capacity of 750-800 MW.

Location

The Firefly Floating Offshore Wind Farm is located 70 km off the coast of Ulsan with the nearest port being the Port of Ulsan. The two export cables will have a landfall point at Onsan (Southern Ulsan).

Project Timeline

July 2024: Equinor obtained approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
2022: Submitted EIA scoping report, Draft EIA report, conducted Information session of EIA
2022: Site Investigations (environmental impact statement: ex. Marine Sediment and Ecosystem, Underwater noise, Seabird, and Mammal, etc.), Geophysical Survey (by Geoview), and Front End Engineering esign (FEED) Study
2021: Project Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) signed
December 2021: Equinor obtained the electric business licence (EBL) from the Korean authorities.
2020: Metocean data collection
May 2019: Equinor signed an MoU with Ulsan city

Key Environmental Issues

In December 2021, Equinor started surveys to collect data for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which are undertaken to ensure any potential significant environmental effects that may arise because of the construction and operation of the Firefly Offshore Wind Project, are properly understood.

The surveys were conducted initially over a 2-year period and included: marine mammals, seabirds, seawater and sediment quality, marine ecology, fish, marine physics, underwater noise, etc. Sekwang Engineering Co. Ltd., was appointed by Equinor to manage the surveys which were undertaken by specialist subcontractors and conducted in the offshore wind turbine array area as well as the proposed cable route to shore and onshore.

Metadata Documents

Tracking Trends for Offshore Wind Energy Industries and Infrastructures in the South Korea: Focused on the Jeonnam Shinan 8.2GW and Ulsan 6GW Offshore Wind Farm Projects (Hwa Ryu et al. 2022)
Firefly Floating Offshore Wind Power Project: EIA-Scoping Report (Equinor south Korea Corp Ltd 2022)

Phase	Stressor & Receptor	Design and Methods	Results	Publications	Data
Baseline	Physical Environment	Air Quality Air quality around the Firefly Floating Offshore Wind Farm project area will be analyzed. Pollutant production will be calculated, and concentration will be predicted via a diffusion model (scattered dust, etc.).	Planned Results pending	Equinor south Korea Corp Ltd 2022	No data publicly available.
Baseline	Physical Environment	Soil Pollution The status of soil pollution around the Firefly Floating Offshore Wind Farm project area will be checked. Soil pollution due to soil spill and obstacle removal will be predicted.	Planned Results pending	Equinor south Korea Corp Ltd 2022	No data publicly available.
Baseline	Physical Environment	Water Quality & Sediment Surveys A four-season field survey will be conducted at the Firefly Floating Offshore Wind Farm project site and surrounding areas (within a 0.5km radius) to assess the status of sea water quality, sea bottom quality, and marine physics (tide, wave, continuous tidal current, continuous suspended sediment, distribution of spatial suspended sediment, marine bottom material survey). Starting in 2022, the survey vessel undertook sea water and sediment survey works along with the Firefly offshore wind farm areas and export cable route in Ulsan offshore and coastal areas. Numerical model experiments will be used to predict the impact on the marine environment.	Ongoing Results pending	Equinor south Korea Corp Ltd 2022	No data publicly available.
Baseline	Reptiles	Reptile Survey Starting in 2023, the survey vessel undertook reptile survey works along the Firefly offshore wind farm areas and export cable route in Ulsan offshore and coastal areas.	Ongoing Results pending	Equinor south Korea Corp Ltd 2022	No data publicly available.
Baseline	Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles	Underwater Noise Monitoring A four-season field survey will be conducted at the Firefly Floating Offshore Wind Farm project site and surrounding areas (within a 0.5km radius) to assess the sources of noise and vibration, survey the status of noise and vibration and underwater noise. Starting in 2022, the survey vessel undertook underwater noise and acoustic monitoring survey works along the Firefly offshore wind farm areas and export cable routes in Ulsan offshore and coastal areas. Predictions on the impact of construction equipment operation as well as the impact of power generation facilities during operation will be made. Composite noise calculation and point sound source distance attenuation formulas will be applied.	Ongoing Results pending	Equinor south Korea Corp Ltd 2022	No data publicly available.
Baseline	Birds	Bird Surveys The status of the terrestrial ecosystem (flora, vegetation, fauna, inland water organisms, migratory birds, legally protected species, etc.) at the Firefly Floating Offshore Wind Farm project site and surrounding areas (within 0.5km radius) will be surveyed. A review of the bird movement and habitat changes due to the installation of structures will be conducted. Starting in 2022, the survey vessel will undertake seabird and marine mammal survey works along with the Firefly offshore wind farm areas and export cable route in Ulsan and coastal areas.	Ongoing Results pending	Equinor south Korea Corp Ltd 2022	No data publicly available.
Baseline	Marine Mammals	Field Surveys A four-season field survey will be conducted at the Firefly Floating Offshore Wind Farm project site and surrounding areas (within a 0.5km radius) to identify the habitats of marine animals and plants (animal and phytoplankton, fish roe and fingerling, sub-tidal benthic animals, intertidal benthic animals, fish and aquatic resources, marine mammals, etc.). Quantitative methods will be used to predict the impact and extent of impact on the ecosystem due to the spread of suspended sediment during the project.	Ongoing Results pending	Equinor south Korea Corp Ltd 2022	No data publicly available.